1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to the field of equipment for the practice of winter sports, including gliding on snow. The invention relates more particularly to the interface between the user's foot and a gliding board and, to this end, provides a device for receiving a foot or a boot on a gliding apparatus.
Assemblies of this type are intended for snowboarding or snow surfing, for example.
2. Background Information
Known solutions provide receiving devices each adapted to receive a boot of the user. These receiving devices comprise a binding base portion adapted to be fixed in relation to the gliding board. This binding base portion is adapted to receive the sole of the boot. In particular, it is through the binding base that the weight exerted by the user is applied, at least mostly, to the gliding apparatus. The known receiving devices further comprise mechanisms for supporting the boot. They comprise portions ensuring lateral retention of the boot, on the one hand, and at least a fastening of the boot to the binding base, for example by linkages, on the other hand. The assembly thus provides a receptacle capable of adequately maintaining the boot in position in relation to the gliding apparatus and capable of enabling a transmission of the forces applied by the user to control the apparatus, for example during edge setting.
Lateral support is important in this context, and the known techniques use a heel loop adapted to partially surround the bottom portion of the boot beyond the binding base. The heel loop may have a concave shape partially surrounding the heel of the foot or of the boot. The heel loop extends from a lateral side of the binding base to the opposite lateral side, running along the rear portion of the receiving device so as to provide an element of cohesion with the foot, generally at least through the rear of the ankle.
For an efficient transmission of the user's forces to the apparatus, substantial rigidity is currently desired between the binding base and the heel loop. Also, with current designs, the heel loop is not capable of deformation. This rigidity provides good boot support but can be inconvenient for the user during use, especially during lateral or forward movements. Moreover, by being rigid, the heel loop creates hard zones of contact with the boot, more particularly during tilting of the boot about an axis longitudinal to the binding, which can be a source of discomfort. Furthermore, this design limits foot movements in relation to the board. However, for certain practices, especially for performing acrobatic figures, the surfer wishes to have more freedom of movement for greater ease and control of his/her jumps and maneuvers.
Furthermore, this design results in high stresses on the structure of the binding. For example, the fasteners encircling the boot from above the instep are highly stressed. The heel loop is also highly stressed, particularly in bending, during forward movements of the surfer.
Certain bindings provide lateral damping of the heel loop, but with very limited symmetrical clearance. The heel loop still retains too much rigidity.